Research Grants

Overview

The i-CATS Research & Innovation Grant Scheme (i-RIGS) is an institutional initiative dedicated to fostering a vibrant ecosystem of inquiry, discovery, and entrepreneurial research. The scheme provides seed funding to internal researchers to explore novel ideas, build proof-of-concepts, and generate initial data that can leverage larger national and international funding opportunities.

Core Objectives

• Capacity Building: To support academic staff in developing robust research tracks and scaling their methodological expertise.

• Impact-Driven Research: To encourage projects that offer tangible socio-economic or technological solutions tailored to regional growth.

• Academic Excellence: To boost high-quality institutional deliverables, including Scopus/ERA-indexed publications and Intellectual Property (IP) creation.

i-RIGS Funding Category

1. Internal Research Grant

Designed to kickstart local discovery and internal capacity building. This tier provides foundational seed funding for academic staff to initiate independent projects, establish baseline metrics, and test innovative, early-stage concepts that address key technical or societal challenges.

2. Matching / Collaborative Grant

Engineered to bridge the gap between academia, industry, and external institutions. This tier supports joint research ventures where funding is co-shared with corporate partners, government agencies, or international universities, maximizing resource efficiency and driving real-world industry application.

3. Postgraduate Grant

Tailored specifically to cultivate the next generation of researchers. This tier offers dedicated funding support for registered postgraduate students to facilitate their thesis research, purchase necessary consumables, and accelerate high-quality academic deliverables under institutional mentorship.

Application Process & Submission

To apply for any of the i-RIGS funding tiers, please follow these steps:

• Download the appropriate application form and the financial proposal template below.

• Submit the fully completed and signed copy via email to irmc@icats.edu.my.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applications may be submitted at any time; however, they are evaluated through batch processing aligned with our official grant cycles. The grant call for the first cycle ended in June 2026. The schedule for the subsequent 2026 cycle will be communicated at a later date.

• Please note that these materials are restricted to i-CATS UC staff only.

• If you are collaborating with i-CATS UC staff, kindly request them to access the documents on your behalf. They must download the files instead of requesting editing access.